Interlocking ring ensemble



Jan. 3, 1950 L. GRANAT 2,493,285

INTERLOCKING RING ENSEMBLE Filed Sept. 25, 1948.

INVENTOR. E0 GRA /VA 7 BY ZW fy.

Patented Jan. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to fastening elements providing for the rapidjoining and subsequent relative detachment of a pair of members and hasparticular reference to a device of the above character which may beincorporated in each of a pair of finger rings or the like so as toinsure against undesirable relative positional displacement between therings when the latter are being worn upon the finger.

An object of the invention is to provide interengageable fasteningelements for finger ring ensembles which, although cf very small size soas to render them as inconspicuous as possible, are neverthelessdesigned and constructed to provide for secure connection of one ringwith the other and to preserve such security over repeated attachmentsand separations of the rings.

Another object of the invention is to provide fastening elements of thenature referred to which, when worn beyond a useful condition, may bereadily replaced by new elements without the need of undertakingextensive mechanical operations on the rings to eifect the replacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide in finger ringscompo-sed of comparatively soft precious metal, improved fastening meansfor effecting interlocked engagement of a pair of the rings, the saidfastening means being constructed of material having wear resistancesuperior to that of the rings.

Still another object of the invention is to provide fastening elementsof the class described which may be easily reconditioned, after havingworn substantially to the point of insecurity, so as to restore in alarge measure the original gripping power of the elements.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It isto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a pair of finger rings showingthem interlocked by means of the improved fastening elements of myinvention. A portion of the view is broken away and Figure 3 is anenlarged vertical sectional view of the socket member forming one of thefastening elements.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the ring carryingthe socket elements of the fasteners.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevational View of the socket fastenerelement.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of a ringillustrating one method of securing the socket element to the ringsetting.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing a modified type ofmounting for the socket element.

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view similar to Figures 6 and'I showing the preferred means for mounting the stud element of thefastener to the ring setting.

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a method ofattaching the fastener of my invention to a ring having a hollowshell-type setting.

Various types of fasteners have previously been proposed for detachablysecuring together finger ring ensembles, the most common of which con#-sist of engagement and wedding rings, for the purpose of preventingundesirable rotational displacement between the rings while the latterare being worn upon the finger and to maintain the gem setting portionsof the rings in proper relative alignment. The two prime requisites ofsuch fasteners are that they be sufficiently small so as to be asinconspicuous as possible and yet be possessed of sufiicient strengthand ruggedness to resist the abrasion of repeated connections anddisconnections of the fastener elements and to correspondingly preservethe gripping power of the elements. In a large proportion of thefasteners heretofore proposed, the interengageable elements were formedeither as homogeneous portions of the rings or were constructed asseparate members capable of being pivotally or slidably moved fromoperative extended positions to concealed positions within the bodies ofone or both rings, the form and positioning of the fasteners beingarranged to blend pleasingly into the surface decoration of the rings.In each case, the precious metal comprising the component parts of thefastener is rather ductile and after numerous attachments anddetachments of the rings becomes so abraded or deformed that theoriginal secure engagement of the fastener is destroyed thereafterpermitting the rings to become separated under slight force such as thatproduced by muscular expansion incident to normal flexing of the fingerupon which the rings are being worn. In the case of the pivoted types offastener elements, the pivot pins are of such minute size thatdestructive shearing thereof may easily occur.

It is in the repairing of worn or broken fastener elements that highlyskilled and consequently expensive operations are necessary. In thecasewhere the elements are formed as homogeneous parts of the ringbodies, reconditioning may mean the addition to the elements ofextraneous material replacing that which may have been lost due to theabrasive action of repeatedly joining or disconnecting the elements. Insome cases where the fastener material is merely displaced, it may bepossible to re-shape the elements to substantially their original formbut in the majority of instances such re-sha-png entails the morediicult procedure of adding materal and reforming the elements orcausing ambient ring material to ow by forging operations into andincrease to the depleted bulk of the elements. Such operations, it isobvious, must be carried out with extreme care in order to preventdamage to or noticeable deformation of the ring body.

I have provided an improved type of fastening means for ring ensemblesor the like designed to provide for long and trouble-free useful lifeand to permit ready reconditioning of the fastener elements should thelatter become worn to the extent wherein security of engagementtherebetween is no longer obtainable. As shown in Figure 1, and intendedsolely for purposes of illustration, I have' chosen to embody theimproved fastener of my invention in a pair of linger rings', generallyknown in the jewelry art as an ensemble, it being of course obvious thatuse of the fastener is not limited to such rings since the latter aremerely indicative of a wide variety of separate members which mayadvantageously be arranged for relative engagement and separation.. Theillustrated ensemble comprises an engagement ring 9 and a wedding ring II shown in the relative coaxial positions they properly occupy whenbeing worn upon the linger, the gem settings I2 comprising the usuallyenlarged band portions of the rings being disposed in substantiallycontiguous and parallel relationship. In

one of the rings, here shown as the engagement ring 9 and preferablypositioned in the base member or gem setting I2 thereof, I provide aninsert, generally indicated by the numeral I3, which may comprise aconveniently cylindrical body I4 suitably secured in the setting, havingan end face I6 substantially aligned with a side face I1 of the settingand provided, preferably, with an axially extending recess I8 whichopens at the end face I6. One or more axially-extending` slits I9provided in the insert or plug and preferably coextensive with therecess I8, permit a degree of radial expansion and contraction of theinsert or plug. The mouth of the recess I8, preferably closely adjacentthe intersection of the latter with the face I6, is radially constrictedin any suitable manner preferably by providing a, peripheral bead 2IWhich may be conveniently formed as an integral part of the plug orinsert and which extends inwardly of the recess from the peripheral sidewall surface thereof. The bead` 2|, in transverse cross-sectional form,is preferably semi-circular or of polygonal shape substantiallyequivalent to the first-mentioned form.

Securing of the insert I3 in the ring body or gem setting I 2 may beaccomplished in one of a number of different ways, several of which areillustrated in Figures 1, 6 and '1. In each of the aforementioned views,the portion of the ring in which the insert is mounted is assumed to becomposed of solid metals in which case a cavity 22 is bored or otherwiseformed in the setting of longitudinal and lateral size suiiicient tosnugly enclose the insert and to provide a wall 23 disposed between theinner end 24 of the insert and the outer side surface 26 of the ringsetting opposite the side surface I4 thereof. In Figure 1 this wall 23is provided with an aperture 21 aligned with the cavity 22 and throughwhich may extend a stud 28 best shown in Figure 5, which is preferablyconstructed as an integral part of the insert. The stud 28 issufficiently elongated so that its outer end, when the insert isproperly positioned within the cavity, will extend beyondy the surface26 to permit the stud extension to be peened over to form a head 29 andthus eifect secure riveted attachment of the insert to the setting. Theriveted head 29 may be suitably formed or engraved to conform with andblend into the surface decoration of the ring setting. A further featureof construction may be the provision, at the outer exposed end of theaperture 21, of a concentric counterbore 3l in which the head 29 may beformed to a finished condition substantially flush with or below thesetting surface 2B.

In Figure 6 the cavity 22 is shown provided with a smaller axiallycontinuing recess 32 which preferably does not extend through the wall23 and in which may be secured, by a solder binder 33, the somewhataxially shortened stud 28 of the insert. I may choose, however, as amodied form of construction, to dispense with the recess 33 and itscooperative stud and to solder the solid end portion of the insert intothe bottom of the cavity 22 in much the same manner as the stud issecured inthe recess.

In Figure '1 I have shown the method of mounting the insert wherein arecess 34, similar to the recess 33, is provided with internal screwthreads with which is engaged the correspondingly threaded stud 36 ofthe insert. In such construction, the one or more slits I9 formed in theinsert may conveniently serve to receive a bladetype instrument by meansof which the insert Vmay be manually rotated during insertion or removalthereof from the ring setting.

Figure 9 illustrates a a construction found in a large number of ringswherein the setting I2 is made hollow by the provision of an internalrecess 31 therein as a result of which the setting includes opposedcomparatively thin side walls 38. The fastener of my invention lendsitselfv well to installation in this otherwise dinicult situation. Hereone of the side walls is shown as being provided with an opening 39 justlarge enough to permit passage of the insert therethrough, the oppositeside Wall having therein an aligned smaller aperture 4I through whichthe axially shortened stud 28 of the insert may be passed, the portionof the latter which extends beyond the outer surface of the side walland which is indicated by the dotted lines 42 being then peened overradially to form the rivet head 43 shaped or decorated as abovedescribed so as to blend harmoniously into the surface decoration of thering.

The other member of the ensemble, here shown as the wedding ring I I, isprovided with a complementary fastener element, generally indicated bythe numeral 44, adapted to be brought into intimate pressure-retainedengagement with the fastener element I3 and which is so positioned onthe ring II that the joined rings will be disposed in exact relativeaxial alignment. The fastener element 44 may be formed, if desired, ofan homogeneous portion of the material forming the mass of the ring I Ibut I prefer that the element be constructed as a separate body securedto the ring in any suitable manner including those set forth above inconnection with the description of the fastener element I3. As hereshown in Figure 8 I have provided a rod-shaped insert 46 disposed withinthe body of the ring II, preferably in a recess 41 bored or otherwiseformed in said body and provided with a stud 48 here shown as extendingthrough an aperture 49 aligned with the recess 41, the outer end of thestud being then peened over to form a rivet head 5| providing a selectedtype of securing means for fixing the insert to the ring body. It willbe understood that the type of securing means employed with the insert46 may be any of those illustrated in connection with thepreviously-described insert I3. Extending from the exposed end surface52 of the insert I3, which is preferably arranged in flush relationshipwith the adjacent side surface 53 of the ring II, is a preferablyintegral head 54 conveniently of cylindrical form and of a diameterwhich is slightly in excess of the mouth diameter measured betweendiametrically opposed and relatively confronting points on the innermostperipheral portion of the bead 2|'. The outer end surface 56 of the head54 is substantially hemispherical in form so as to facilitate entry ofthe head into the mouth opening of the recess I8. When the fastenerelements I3 and 44 are brought into relative axial alignment, with thehead 54 of one element disposed in the recess mouth of the otherelement, and pressure is applied forcing the elements together in anaxial direction, the hemispherical entering portion 56 of the head willpress the bead 2I radially outwardly against the flexion resistance ofthe side wall surrounding the recess I8 thereby permitting the head topass through the mouth and into the recess. The head 54 is provided,intermediate its outer end and the end surface 52 of the insert, with agroove 5l peripherally surrounding a diametrically reduced neck portion58 into which the bead 2 I may snap under flexion recoil of theaforesaid side Wall when the head has fully passed into the recess I8thus securely binding the fastener elements together and bringing theconfronting side surfaces of the ring settings into intimate contiguousrelationship. Preferably, the relationship of the head 54 to the endsurface 52 of the insert, or to the side surface 53 of the ring in casethe surface 52 is recessed slightly below the surface 53, is such thatWhen the head is Within the recess I8 the outwardly flexed side Wall ofthe latter will not be fully contracted radially inwardly thuspermitting the residual stress in the Wall to tightly draw the ringstogether.

After an extended period of time during which the .rings may have beenrepeatedly connected and disconnected, it is to be expected that thefasteners may become so worn due to abrasion or to rheologicaldisplacement of the construction material thereof that security ofengagement between the fastener elements may be substan-s tiallydestroyed. In the usual types of fasteners, reconditioning of theelements to substantially restore their original gripping power entailsconsiderable skilled and tedious operations Whereas in the improvedfastener of my invention such reconditioning may be accomplished veryreadily and by a person not possessed of more than ordinary skill. Itwill be noted that lthe outer peripheral portion 58 of the insert I3extending rearwardly from the end surface i6 is tapered divergently soas to form with the confronting surface 22 of the insert-receiving bore,or with the periphery of the opening 39 as the case may be, an axiallytapering space 59, provided priinarily for permitting radial expansionof the insert during movements of the fastener head into and out of theinsert mouth. It will be further seen that the arrangement of the partsprovides a tapering space into which may be inserted or driven asuitable tool designed to compress radially inwardly the Wall portion ofthe insert peripherally bounding the head-receiving recess 'I 9. The useof sufficient force in this operation to flex the wall material beyondits elastic limit, will cause the mouth of the recess I8 to becomeradially contracted so as to compensate somewhat for the amount of wearor material displacement which may have occurred at said mouth. Inaddition to this, ythe head 54 may .be hammered on its outer end and inan axial direction so as to cause the mass of the head to expanddiametrically to a sufficient degree of enlargement that ysubstantiallythe original gripping relationship with the mouth bead 2l will bereestablished. {Ihus reconditioned, the fastener may be expected tofunction as efficiently and for as long a period as that Which elapsedprevious to the time when the need for repair became apparent. In theevent that the fasteners have worn to the point wherein they are nolonger capable of being repaired, they may be very readily removedbodily from the rings and replaced with new elements with a minimum oftime, effort and expense. Although a single fastener of my invention,which comprises the described pair of interengageable elements, willsufce to securely detachfably connect the average members arranged forsuch operation, including finger ring ensembles, it is preferred toequip the latter, as shown in Figure 4, with at least a pair of completefastener units which may be disposed, as illustrated, vat peripherallyseparated points on the ring band yand preferably adjacent opposite endsof the ring settings 2. In this way the transaxial movement between therings, which is not completely prevented in rings equipped with singlefastener units when worn on the finger, is entirely obivated. Theelimination of such movement prevents un'- due Wear on the fastenerelements and greatly extends their useful life.

Of prime importance is the fact that the unusual design of the fastenerof my invention permits the use of materials, in both elements thereof,which possess widely different characteristics A than the materialsforming the bulk of the articles to .be joined. One of the mainrequisites of the fastener is that the engageable elements beplatinum-indium alloys special gold or platinum CQmpaQted by pressure torender them more dense, and even non-noble metals such as Monel metal`and stainless steel provide the desired abrasion and flow resistance andlend themselves well touse in the fastener of my invention. Obviously itwould bey impractical and entirely too expensive to construct two ringscompletely from the noble materials specified above just to secure, inthe usual type` of fastener elements, the superior wearing qualitieswhich these materials aord. On the other hand, and due to the smallmasses of such superior substances needed in the fastener of myinvention, the latter may be advantageously included in the rings with aminimum amount of cost and production expense.

From the foregoingA description of my invention it will be seen that Ihave provided a greatly improved type of detachable fastenerparticularly adaptable to finger rings in which all of the majorshortcomings of existing fasteners have been considered and overcomeresulting in a device which is, characterized by being veryinconspicuous, at all times ready for operation without any special orcomplicated manipulation of the rings, which is capable of inclusion inthe rings at a minimum o f expense, which, when worn, permits rapidreconditioning to restore substantially the original condition of the`fastener elements and which permits the usev in both elements or"selected and superior materials capable of affording the optimumresistance to wear in the cooperating parts.

I claim:

1,. Means for releasably interconnecting a pair of rings provided withsubstantially corresponding gem mounting segments and arranged to beWorn in axial alignment on a linger, at least one of said segmentshaving cavities therein on one side face thereof and adjacent theopposite ends of said segment, the Said segments of each ring beingsubstantially of the same length of arc, the said side face of thesegment having said cavities being in substantially a single plane, andthe said other ring segment having a side face forming a single plane;said means comprising headed projections each of a prescribed diameterextending from the side face of said other ring adjacent the ends of thesegment thereof and arranged in registry with and for insertion in saidcavities, an

insert member detachably secured in each of said n cavities, each ofsaid insert members having a recess therein of a prescribed diameter,the outer end portion of which is smaller than the diameter of saidprojections, said insert member also having separate portions definingsaid recess which are relatively yieldable to elect expansion of saidrecess to at least the diameter of said projection upon insertion ofsaid projection into said recess, said member further having a bodyportion thereof in intimate engagement with a portion of one of saidcavities so as to restrain radial expansion of said insert member, theouter end portions of said recess defining portions of said insertmember engageable upon expansion with wall portions of said cavity tolimit yielding of said member toa degree which will bring the diameterof said; projection and recess into relative conformity, said insertmembers being composed of material having greater abrasion resistantquality than the material of the ring in which said members are secured.

2 In a ring ensemble including a pair of rings provided withsubstantially corresponding gem mounting Segments and arranged to beWorn in axial alignment on a lingen said Segments having relativelyYspaced openings and headed projectionsv of a prescribed diameter inrelatively oo nfronting faces and adjacent the opposite ends thereof,the said segments of each ring being substantially of the Same length ofarc, each of said faces lying in substantially a single plane, each ofsaid projections extending from the side face of a segment and arrangedin axial and circumferential registry with and for insertion in one ofsaid openings,v an insert member detachably secured in each ofl saidopenings, each of said insert members having a recess therein of aprescribed diameter at least a portion of which is smaller than thediameter of one of said projections, said insert member also havingperipheral portions de ning said recess provided with axially extendingslots whereby said peripheral Portions are re1- atively yieldable toeiect expansion of said recess to at least the` diameter of saidprojection upon insertion of said projection into said recess, at leasta portion4 of said; peripheral portions being smaller vthan the,diameter of said opening, the difference in diameter between the openingand said peripheral portions of the insert member being substantiallyequal to the. difference in diameter betweenthe insertY member recessand the headed projection whereby said expansion of said recess islimited to prevent overstressing of said peripheral portions, and saidinsert members being composed oi a harder material than the material ofthe ring in which said member is secured.

3. In a ring ensemble including a pair of rings provided, withSubStantial;1yv corresponding gem mounting segments. and arranged to beworn in axial alignmentA on a finger, each of said segments havingopenings on one side face thereof and being adjacent the opposite endsof and ineluded within said segment, the said openings of each ringbeing equally spaced, the edges of said openings, of each ring lying inthe same plane, and the. saidA sidel faces of; the segments of each ringbeine in generally the. same plane with the plane of the edges ot itsrespective openings, means for releasably interconnecting said rings,said means.- oomprising insert members having headed projections thereondetachably secured in each of said openings on one of said rings, saidheaded projections being; of a prescribed diameter and extending from,the side vface of the ring and arranged in registry with and forinsertion in the openings in the other; ring, insert members detachablysecured in the openings of said other ring, each of said latter membershaving a recess therein of a prescribed diameter of said projections,said latter insert member also having separate portions defining saidrecess which are relatively yieldable to elect expansion of said recessto` atleast the diameter of said projection upon insertion of saidprojection into said recess, said latter named member further having anaxially tapering body, the inner end portion of which is in intimateengagement with a wall portion of one of said openings so. as torestrain radial expansion of said member, and the outer end portion ofwhich is radially spaced from a portion of said opening engageable uponexpansion with wall portions of the opening to limit yielding of saidmembers to aV degree which will bring the diameters of said projectionand recess into relative conformity-, and at least one pair of saidinsert members, being composedy of a harder material than the materialof the ring in which the member is secured i- Means for roleasablyinterconnecting a pair

